Sinbad, Pirate Queen, necessitated everything I know about sheetrock repair. So if your rabbit also has his or her own home improvement show called "Teeth Time" then you will want to know how to repair sheetrock. Tooth marks and landlords do not mix. Luckily, sheetrock is easy and inexpensive to repair. Following are instructions for both minor and major repairs.

You will need:

• Sheetrock mud. Sold in huge 62-pound buckets for very serious repair and in smaller 10-pound tubs for minor repair. Do not buy the dry mix, as it just takes more time and creates more mess; it isn't worth the effort. Keep some on hand for instant repairs, nail-hole filler, etc. Well sealed, it keeps for many months, and the tubs make handy stepping stools when full and excellent utility buckets when empty.

• Putty knife. These come in lengths of 2", 4", 6", and 24". The two-inch knife is for very small repairs; I'm never so lucky. The four-inch knife is very handy to have on hand, and the big one will redo an entire wall smoothly and professionally. They are inexpensive, but make sure you clean them very well when you're finished to keep them in good repair.

• 60-grit (coarse) sandpaper to remove knife lines or stray bumps in dry plaster

• 100-grit (fine) sandpaper for finishing

• Sandpaper block or hand sander. This is nice but not essential; you can also just fold the paper and sand with your hands, although I find the work goes much more quickly with a sander or block and isn't so hard on you. In a pinch, take a bit of 2x4 or any smooth wood you can find and wrap the sandpaper around that, stapling it to the top side: instant sanding block.

• Damp, lint-free rag: old sweatshirt material, flannel, or any non-textured, soft cloth

• Filter mask if you are doing a lot of sanding. Sheetrock mud dust won't hurt you, but it tastes very bad and gets into pores you didn't know you had.

• Paint to match your wall. If there is a chunk you can remove to color-match at the store, so much the better. There are approximately 4,597,302 shades of "apartment white." Don't guess or you'll have to paint the entire wall.

• Paint brush. Buy a wider one than you think you need; you'll be glad you did. If your wall is textured, do not use foam; buy an inexpensive bristle brush. I like a 4" bristle brush.

• Work lights. Anything will do: a lamp minus its shade, shop lights, even a big flashlight. Make sure you have enough light on the area to see the fine imperfections, then aim the light in different angles to see if there is an obvious seam that needs to be smoothed out.

• Disposable gloves. Sheetrock mud dries your hands out in seconds and is annoyingly cloying. I always use disposable gloves because they save a lot of time on cleanup. Also, it's pretty much guaranteed that the phone will ring when you are deep into this project, and sheetrock mud is bad for most phones (trust me, I learned the hard way....).

• Straight edge. You can use anything with a straight edge that is longer than the damaged area: a ruler, level, roasting pan edge, etc.

• Utility knife. Make sure the blade is fresh; you'll be glad you did.

Minor or Small Repairs

• 1. Clean the debris from the area; use a utility knife if necessary to cut away shredded paper or jagged chunks of the gypsum beneath.

• 2. With the putty knife, put down a layer of mud over the whole area, filling in the missing pieces first. Depending on how deep the gouges are, you may need to make several layers with plenty of drying time (8 hours or overnight) between layers. Sheetrock mud will crack if it is on too thick or dries too fast.

• 3. Once you have the damaged area plastered even with the existing wall, use your sanding block or a folded piece of 60-grit paper and gently sand in a circular motion over the plastered area. Your goal is to remove putty knife lines, not to make a perfectly smooth surface; that comes next.

• 4. Change to 100-grit sandpaper. In a circular motion, gently sand the area, feathering out toward the edges.

• 5. Wipe the area down with a damp, lint-free cloth. Let dry a few minutes.

• 6. You are ready to paint. Dip the brush about 1" into the paint, wipe one side dry on the can edge, and, starting in the middle, feather the strokes out to the edges until the color is well blended. Let it dry to make sure you don't have a color change. Add additional paint as necessary.

That should make a nearly invisible repair!

Extreme Repairs or Holes in the Wall

Extreme repair is necessary when you discover that your rabbit has a burning desire to enlarge the room by removing most of the wall. It also works if you're trying to repair an area that might have had an outlet box or a baseboard heater that has been removed. If you are looking at a large area or an actual hole in the wall, you can't just plaster it; you have to cut out the damaged area with a sharp utility knife and match the depth of the sheetrock.

In addition to the equipment above listed for minor repairs, you might also need:

• Sheetrock tape. This comes in rolls of either paper or a slightly sticky fiberglass mesh. It's a matter of preference. The mesh is much easier to use; if this is your first repair, use the mesh and plaster it well. The paper gives a smoother seam, in my opinion, but is more work and requires more patience. I have known people to say very rude things to sheetrock tape if it wrinkles on them....

• Drywall corners. A wonderful invention! These are metal strips in a V shape with sheetrock tape already glued to them. They come in 8' lengths and are perfect for repairing a wall edge that your bunny has gnawed (or that you ran the vacuum cleaner into so many times that it's crumbling). If you have extensive edge damage, invest the $1.50 in one of these and re-plaster both edges. It not only hides the damage nicely, it adds a great deal of strength to the corner and prevents future damage. Most houses already have these, but some apartments don't.

• Sheetrock, aka drywall. This comes in thicknesses from 1/4" (very old houses) to 3/4"; it also comes in a green water-resistant type that you have to use in bathrooms. Most walls are either 1/2" or 3/4". Unfortunately, you can buy only a full sheet, 4' x 8'. It is awkward to haul, and it is heavy. Sheetrock is also hard to store and dispose of and is a dead giveaway to landlords that something is amiss. If you know of someone who has very recently done some remodeling, see if they have a scrap that might work.

• Paper to make a template for repairing holes

• Bucket of clean water if you are using paper tape

• 24" knife and a putty trough (for an entire wall repair)

1. Make clean, straight cuts using anything with a straight edge that is longer than the damaged area. Remove the pieces, leaving a clean edge; dust the edge to remove fine debris.

2. Make a template out of paper that is just barely smaller than the actual hole you just made.

3. Put the template over the front (white or green, not dark gray or brown side) of the sheetrock you are using and, with the straight edge, score around the template to make the filler piece. Sheetrock "snaps" very easily, making a nice edge; you just snap it apart with the scored side up. Turn the sheetrock over and run the utility knife over the paper on the back side; this will free up your piece and leave nice clean edges and no ragged paper.

4. Test the filler; if it fits very snugly, tape the edges and begin plastering. If it is too large, gently shave it until it fits. Do not use it if it's too small; it will fall into the wall and you get to start over.

5. If you are using paper tape, cut it about 1" longer than the area it will be used on, dampen the tape in the water slightly, immersing it for a second or two, then pinch it between your fingers to remove any excess water. You just want it to adhere to the mud, not turn to mush. Overlap edges if you are using several pieces, such as when filling in an outlet box hole. If you are using fiberglass mesh tape, skip this step.

6. For paper tape, put down a thin, even layer of mud over the filler and about 2" onto the wall with your 4" putty knife.

7. For paper tape, stick the slightly dampened tape directly over the filler seam, half-way on the filler, half-way on the original wall. The tape has a convenient fold to guide you. Using the putty knife, smooth it down so it adheres to the thin layer below. For mesh tape, just cut to length and stick it in place.

8. With the putty knife, lay a thicker layer of mud over the whole area, smoothing until you don't see the tape seams. If your seam or your wall is uneven, let the first layer dry, sand lightly with 60-grit if needed, dust the sanded area, then lay another layer to hide the seaming tape. If you are repairing an entire wall, use the huge 24" knife and a putty trough.

9. Let it dry at least a couple of hours; overnight is best if the repairs are extensive. It will turn almost white when it's dry and will not feel clammy to the touch.

10. Using your sanding block or a folded piece of 60-grit paper, gently sand in a circular motion over the plastered area. Your goal is to remove putty knife lines, not to create a perfectly smooth surface; that comes next.

11. Change to 100-grit sandpaper. In a circular motion, gently sand the area, feathering out toward the edges.

12. Wipe the area down with a damp, lint-free cloth. Let dry a few minutes.

13. You are ready to paint. Dip the brush about 1" into the paint, wipe one side dry on the can edge, and, starting in the middle, feather the strokes out to the edges until the color is well blended. Let it dry to make sure you don't have a color change. Add additional paint as necessary.

That should make a nearly invisible repair!

Trick

Sanding creates a fine, white dust that finds crevasses you didn't know you had. If you're sanding in an area where small children will be, have allergies, or are repairing a kitchen wall, you might want to try to use a wet towel to "wash" the plaster instead of sanding. This leaves no messy cleanup, but it takes some practice not to wash all the repair you just did right off. Get a smooth cloth (old sweatshirt material is great) and dampen it with cold water. With gentle pressure, feather the damp cloth over the repair area until the little bumps and lines from the putty knife are smoothed out. Starting in the middle of the plastered area, feather strokes outward, blending to the original surface. Let dry between attempts. The very fine lines left by the cloth generally are invisible once the wall is painted.

Cleaning Up

Sheetrock mud dries while you use it. Clean your tools and dry them right away or they will rust. You will want to keep them on hand should your bunny ever try his or her paw at remodeling again. Properly sealed, sheetrock mud keeps for many months.